HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHANCERY CENTER (ICC)
The International Chancery Center (ICC) was originally conceived in the early 1960s by Mr. William Crockett, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Management. At that time, the Department of State was receiving numerous requests from foreign governments for assistance with locating suitable sites in the District of Columbia for their chanceries. As an effort to encourage the location of chanceries into new parts of the District, the ICC was developed as an enclave of chanceries on Federal property.
The ICC’s campus if comprised of 47-acre along the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Van Ness Street, NW, on a portion of what was formerly the headquarters of the National Bureau of Standards.
The Center has successfully fulfilled all of its original goals and expectations and is now the home to 16 foreign embassies.
The federal office building located at 3507 International Place, NW is the centerpiece of the ICC. The building’s design was inspired by the traditional styling of the late 19th century chanceries located in the District of Columbia. Countries with chanceries at the ICC are also required to design and maintain in accordance with established design guidelines and pursuant to the approval by the Department of State’s Office of Foreign Missions, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Commission of Fine Arts.
The ICC also includes three parks and a perimeter buffer area that helps to blend the Center into the surrounding community. The design of the ICC’s gardens and parks have received several awards over the years, included an Environmental Landscape Distinction Award (1990) and an Excellence in Landscape Award (1995).